Lacy Foundation
The Lacy Foundation is a private charitable foundation established in 1973 in memoriam of Stanley K. Lacy by the Lacy family. Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, the foundation is committed to making Central Indiana a thoughtful, caring, and thriving community through strategic philanthropic giving.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$12.2M
+3.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$474K
-27.7% YoY
Grant Count
44
-12.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$11K
-17.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lacy Foundation reported a distributable amount of $830K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's philanthropic objective is to help Indianapolis become a world-class city in which to live, work, educate, and play.
Primary funding priorities include:
- Education
- Community Impact
- Arts and Culture
The foundation works primarily with known organizations, programs, and community leaders to identify, develop, and fund projects in Central Indiana. The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests and does not fund individuals, religious institutions, individual schools, individual research, or organizations for specific health care causes.
Grantmaking
The foundation works with established organizations and community leaders rather than accepting unsolicited proposals. Grant sizes have historically ranged from $250 to $105,200, with typical awards varying based on project scope and foundation priorities.
Grant Range
s have historically ranged from $250 to $105,200, with typical awards varying based on project scope and foundation priorities.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports initiatives in Central Indiana, with particular emphasis on Indianapolis. However, the foundation's giving extends to multiple cities and states including Carmel, Chicago, Des Plaines, Fishers, Lombard, Memphis, Muncie, New York, Noblesville, Oklahoma City, Oxnard, and San Francisco, with operations in California, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, New York, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: $11.7 million to $12.2 million (most recent filings)
Annual Expenses: $737,579
Annual Revenue: $760,863
Total Giving: $473,715 to $655,000 (varies by fiscal year)
Address: 54 Monument Circle, Suite 900, Indianapolis, IN 46204-2942
Tax ID (EIN): 23-7415837
Telephone: 317-237-5400
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $12,206,189 | $11,744,075 | $11,720,791 |
| Revenue | $1,019,499 | $760,863 | $-476,497 |
| Expenses | $557,385 | $737,579 | $920,602 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $476,306 | $659,865 | $840,039 |
| Net Investment Income | $997,445 | $746,647 | $315,055 |
| Distributable Amount | $829,788 | $753,201 | $737,517 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
222 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Leadership Indianapolis ($105,200), Ball State University Foundation ($27,500), Iu Health Foundation ($25,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BENJAMIN HARRISON PRESIDENTIAL SITE INDIANAPOLIS, IN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $20,000 |
| COBURN PLACE INDIANAPOLIS, IN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $20,000 |
| DRESS FOR SUCCESS INDIANAPOLIS, IN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $15,000 |
| CONNER PRAIRIE FISHERS, IN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $15,000 |
| BISHOP CHATARD HIGH SCHOOL INDIANAPOLIS, IN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $1,000 |
| GIRL SCOUTS OF CENTRAL INDIANA INDIANAPOLIS, IN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $5,000 |
| HEARTLAND FILM INC INDIANAPOLIS, IN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $3,500 |
| INDIANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY INDIANAPOLIS, IN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $20,000 |
| INDIANA REPERTORY THEATRE INDIANAPOLIS, IN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $3,000 |
| INDIANA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION TERRE HAUTE, IN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $1,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Jill S. Lacy — President of the Lacy Foundation
Contact: 317-223-9768 | jill.lacy@lacydiversified.com
Board/Trustees: Jeffrey Dible, Robert J. Kaspar, M. E. Eccles, and Howard J. Lacy IV
The foundation was established by Edna Balz Lacy, CEO and board chair of U.S. Corrugated-Fiber Box Company and Lacy Diversified Industries, in memory of her youngest son, Stanley K. Lacy. Margot Lacy Eccles, Edna Balz Lacy's daughter, served as foundation president for more than 30 years before the current leadership.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JILL S LACY | PRESIDENT | — | $60,000 |
| JEFFREY DIBLE | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| ROBERT S KASPAR | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| M E ECCLES | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| HOWARD J LACY IV | TRUSTEE | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Stanley K. Lacy Executive Leadership Series® continues as a major community initiative, with the program maintaining its commitment to developing current and future leaders for Central Indiana. The program operates on a September through June schedule, with an anonymous selection committee composed of SKL graduates and community leaders designating 25 participants annually.
SKL graduates have been instrumental in initiating significant community projects, including Circle Fest, Volunteers for Youth (now Partners for Youth), and the Indianapolis Race Relations History Project.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Lacy Foundation fund?
The foundation's philanthropic objective is to help Indianapolis become a world-class city in which to live, work, educate, and play. Primary funding priorities include: • **Education** • **Community Impact** • **Arts and Culture** The foundation works primarily with known organizations, programs, and community leaders to identify, develop, and fund projects in Central Indiana. The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests and does not fund individuals, religious institutions, individual …
How do I apply for a grant from Lacy Foundation?
The foundation works with established organizations and community leaders rather than accepting unsolicited proposals. Grant sizes have historically ranged from $250 to $105,200, with typical awards varying based on project scope and foundation priorities. The Stanley K. Lacy Executive Leadership Series® (SKL®) is a flagship initiative owned and underwritten by the Lacy Foundation. This 10-month leadership development program has been administered by Leadership Indianapolis since 1976. The prog…
Where does Lacy Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily supports initiatives in Central Indiana, with particular emphasis on Indianapolis. However, the foundation's giving extends to multiple cities and states including Carmel, Chicago, Des Plaines, Fishers, Lombard, Memphis, Muncie, New York, Noblesville, Oklahoma City, Oxnard, and San Francisco, with operations in California, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, New York, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.
What size grants does Lacy Foundation award?
In 2024, Lacy Foundation awarded 44 grants totaling $474K — an average of about $11K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Lacy Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Lacy Foundation reported a distributable amount of $830K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Lacy Foundation's EIN?
Lacy Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7415837. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Lacy Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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